Successful people think differently.
I’ve been fascinated by this since my first summer selling knives in college.
As an 18-year old, my manager was Earl. He was scrappy, driven, a visionary, and self-professed redneck from East Tennessee. How he talked and worked disrupted the encouragement I’d received to get good grades, go to college and get a reliable job.
His energy inspired, offered hope and at times felt risky, but it also reaped rewards and realized dreams. Decades later, my interest continues to be piqued by others who are cut from a similar cloth.
Today I was speaking with a woman who reminded me of Earl. She began a software company in the 80s (who did that back then?) and took on risks that most wouldn't understand in order to create something the world needed and she wholeheartedly believed in.
The common thread - entrepreneurs are empowered people.
I’ve been observing what empowerment looks like. Merriam Webster defines empowered as having the knowledge, confidence, means or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself.
…for oneself.
Empowerment is internally driven. It doesn’t poll others, seek out permission or wait for the metaphorical light to turn green. At its simplest, it assumes ownership and takes action based on an internal nudge.
You may be someone that others observe and call empowered. But what I also know is inside you, there are untouched frontiers. Those seeds of a dream waiting for their turn with your empowerment. What are they?
As I explore my untouched frontiers, it made me also aware of the reasons I’ve been waiting:
for information
for guidance
for permission or
external encouragement.
The first two I can seek out. There are books, websites, podcasts, courses, people and mentors galore out there. Make it a to-do item and get busy with it, Halle!
The second two will keep me waiting and waiting forever, on someone else’s words or timing, if they ever come at all. Gah, this is a powerless position!
However, when I become empowered, take ownership, and give myself permission or encouragement, it’s a most subtle, yet significant game changer.
Recently an entrepreneur recited, “If you don’t sacrifice for what you want then the thing you want becomes the sacrifice.” I’ve heard this quote many times, but this time it took up residence in my gut.
The obstacles to some of the big life or business dreams we really want become smaller, even negligible when we shift how we look at them. Get out of your head and consider the ridiculous! Identify the courageous or unpopular decision and give it a try.
Stop pretending you’re stuck! This path is begging to be traveled for yourself, for your family, for your dream.
This is empowerment.
Until next time,
Halle
ps…if you’re not yet following me over on Insta, click here to do so!
Plus a few other links of interest:
1. TIMEOUT, a 2-day private coaching retreat! Travel to the resort town of Traverse City, Michigan for an escape from distractions to clearly think, regroup, prioritize, and plan.
2. Could your team benefit from upgrading their leadership? Inquire about Leadership Essentials Academy, a 6-month leadership training & coaching cohort for new and emerging leaders.
3. Time for a new journal? Pick up a new copy of my Know Thyself Journal for daily support towards your most important intentions for the next 90 days.
4. Are you into individual assessments? Here is a link to take a free Core Values Assessment (CVI). It only takes 10 minutes and measures your innate, unchanging nature. Take it yourself and feel free to forward it to a friend, too.